MEDIA RELEASE

During the week of October 4 – October 10, 2005, Big Island police arrested sixteen motorists for drunk driving. Three of the drivers were involved in a traffic crashes and five were under the age of 21.

So far this year, there has been a revised total of 803 DUI arrests, compared to 807 during the same period last year, a decrease of 0.5 percent. The number of arrests by district were:

DUI Arrests by District

District

Weekly Total

Year to Date

Hamakua

0

8

North Hilo

0

3

South Hilo

4

185

Puna

1

122

Ka’u

2

27

Kona

9

411

South Kohala

0

38

North Kohala

0

9

Island Total

16

803

There has been a revised total of 1,842 major accidents so far this year, compared to 1,899 during the same period last year, a decrease of 3 percent.

There have been 29 traffic fatalities on the Big Island so far this year, compared to 33 for the same period last year, a decrease of 12 percent. There have been 13 alcohol-related fatalities so far this year, compared to nine at this time last year, an increase of 44 percent. There have been nine drug-related fatalities so far this year, compared to 11 at the same time last year, a decrease of 18 percent.